5-10. RESCUE DEVICES
The high performance hoist has a hook that attaches to various rescue devices
used to raise the casualty. These devices include the forest penetrator (sometimes
called a jungle penetrator), Stokes litter, semirigid litter, and survivor's sling. When the
casualty has an injury of the neck, spine, or pelvis, the Stokes litter is used to hoist the
casualty. Once the casualty is ready to be hoisted, the helicopter will rise and lift the
casualty off of the ground. The hoist operator does the rest.
5-11. STATIC ELECTRICITY
Static electricity builds up on the hoist cable. If ground personnel grab the cable
or lowered rescue device before the electrical charge is discharged, they could be
shocked. Discharge the static electricity by allowing the cable or hook or the rescue
device (if lowered with the cable) to touch the ground before attempting to touch the
cable, hook, or device.
5-12. FOREST PENETRATOR
The forest penetrator (figure 5-13) can be used to rescue casualties from land or
from water. If the casualty is in water, a flotation device is attached to the penetrator.
The forest penetrator is about 34 inches in length. It contains three seats (4.75 inches
wide and 11.5 inches long) that are kept in the retracted positions by springs. The
forest penetrator can lift up to three casualties at once, but it is more common to lift one
at a time. It is not used for casualties with neck, spinal, or pelvic injuries.
Figure 5-13. Forest penetrator.
MD0001
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